
When I used to teach community college classes, one thing I was loathe to do was provide the definitive list of indicators associated with each cryptic device. Continue reading

When I used to teach community college classes, one thing I was loathe to do was provide the definitive list of indicators associated with each cryptic device. Continue reading
The Stickler for this week is now available. Please select your preferred solving format.
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The solution to this puzzle will appear next week.
| Clue Hints for The Stickler Weekly 223 | |
| Overseas Help for The Stickler Weekly 223 | |
| Solution to The Stickler Weekly 222 | |
| Insights for this week | |
| Invest in the Future of The Stickler |
Please include comments or discussion about this crossword below.
Request help in the Clue Hints blog entry so all can see.
It’s a weekly crossword, so please don’t give/discuss any full answers until the solution is posted (such posts will be deleted/edited).
Enjoy!
(click on the clue number to see the hint)
Click on underlined text for explanation of terms.
Need more hints for these or other clues? Just leave a reply below.
Examples: part of, associated with, types of.
Examples: changed, at sea, confused, all over the place - anything that indicates change or jumbling.
Examples: held by, kept by, embraced by - anything that creates the image of being contained.
Examples: upset, reversed, retired, in withdrawal, over etc.
Examples: part of, associated with, types of.
Example: A indeed (?) could mean to insert A inside deed.
Welcome all cryptic crossword solvers.
Some cryptic crosswords are tough purely because local lingo is used and not understood by all, especially those living outside of Australia. This post seeks to fill this vernacular gap.
There aren’t any extra hints needed this week.
Like to add something I’ve missed to help others, or comment on a meaning, term or expression? Please leave a reply below.

| Across | Answers and Clues | Explanations |
| 1 | PARAPHRASE | |
| Expected rash developed in ape, say, in a different way (10) | PAR + (anagram of RASH inside APE) | |
| 6 | SWAB | |
| Specimen was treated with boron (4) | Anagram of WAS + B | |
| 10 | SHAKE | |
| Small fish flourish (5) | S + HAKE | |
| 11 | TRIENNIAL | |
| Nine involved in court case lasting three years (9) | Anagram of NINE inside TRIAL | |
| 12 | AIRMAN | |
| Bomber’s guide, for one, married in a Middle East country (6) | M inside (A + IRAN) | |
| 13 | GROWS UP | |
| Gets bigger ewes evenly distributed in flock (5,2) | e(W)e(S) inside GROUP | |
| 15 | LIGHTS | |
| Flimsy pole catches fire (6) | LIGHT + S | |
| 16 | BEATINGS | |
| People gathered around at events associated with strikes (8) | BEINGS outside AT | |
| 17 | STRICTLY | |
| Trick not completed ahead of time in secret precisely (8) | [(TRIC)K + T] inside SLY | |
| 20 | SORTIE | |
| Offensive act that is committed after class (6) | IE after SORT | |
| 23 | EMPEROR | |
| Coinage of Rome sent around by ruler (7) | Anagram of ROME inside PER | |
| 24 | ROLLED | |
| Half of patrol went ahead and turned (6) | part(ROL) + LED | |
| 26 | INSOLVENT | |
| Lions sprayed discharge on the rocks (9) | Anagram of LIONS + VENT | |
| 27 | BLAZE | |
| Stand around after start of big bonfire (5) | LAZE after (B)IG | |
| 28 | GUST | |
| Endless enthusiasm is a blast? (4) | (GUST)O | |
| 29 | STARTER-KIT | |
| Leading person arranged trek with IT equipment crucial to initial success (7-3) | STAR + anagram of TREK + IT | |
| Down | Answers and Clues | Explanations |
| 1 | PAST | |
| Forgotten or missed by minister (4) | PASTOR minus OR | |
| 2 | REARING | |
| Auditor engaged by organisation is setting up (7) | EAR inside RING | |
| 3 | PNEUMATIC DRILL | |
| Pictured man injured badly with air-tool (9,5) | Anagram of PICTURED MAN + ILL | |
| 4 | RATING | |
| Cheap newspaper making case to preserve status (6) | RAG outside TIN | |
| 5 | SHINGLE | |
| Doctor’s sign, say, individual spotted on the outside of hospital (7) | SINGLE outside H | |
| 7 | WAITS ON | |
| First of all it’s breaking accomplished serves (5,2) | [(A)LL + ITS] inside WON | |
| 8 | BILLPOSTER | |
| Advertiser is beginning to blame sick mail handler (10) | (B)LAME + ILL + POSTER | |
| 9 | UNCONTROLLABLE | |
| Furious relative checking on bill containing bread (14) | UNCLE outside [(ON + TAB) outside ROLL] | |
| 14 | BLISTERING | |
| Very hot tiles warped in transport (10) | Anagram of TILES inside BRING | |
| 16 | BAY | |
| Dark horse’s stall (3) | Double Definition | |
| 18 | RAPISTS | |
| Criminal charge is restricting street people responsible for violations (7) | (RAP + IS) outside ST | |
| 19 | LARGEST | |
| Most prominent home of Hollywood gangster primarily owned by others (7) | LA + [(G)ANGSTER inside REST] | |
| 21 | TIE RACK | |
| Wardrobe feature, possibly, that is fixed in a permanent way (3,4) | IE inside TRACK | |
| 22 | CRATER | |
| Packing case, located by river, is hollow (6) | CRATE + R | |
| 25 | DEFT | |
| Expert took food over time (4) | FED reversed + T |

It’s pretty clear that, in general, solvers don’t own, or don’t have access to comprehensive dictionaries. How do I know? There are many queries about definitions and components of clues that would be answered with just one simple look-up. As a solver, you can’t be expected to know everything about a word and I can’t be expected to write crosswords using the lowest common denominator of word knowledge of my solvers.
Having said that, I have to aim for a place that both of us can exist, and to that end I have rules regarding what words and meanings I use, the references they must be in and whether I have a working knowledge of a word/term. When in doubt, a simple clue can come to the rescue.
All this is under threat, though, as the electronic dictionaries I have that run locally on my PC, are no longer being produced. They have been replaced by online versions that are a poor substitute, with slow response time, zero integration with crossword software and limited search options. Such online software needs a working internet and insists on a logon process that automatically logs you off after a short period of inactivity. In the case of Oxford, you can buy a personal annual subscription that gives you access to 100s of publications, but there’s no provision for a smaller fee for just a couple of titles. The system is heavily geared towards institutions like universities and schools, but does allow people to access publications through libraries, if your local library has signed up. Yearly fees for each publisher tend to be more than buying hard or soft copies of dictionaries, making the online environment very much unsatisfactory for crossword setters. With very few crosswords to produce, I won’t be using online versions anytime soon, relying heavily on my ageing PC-based electronic dictionaries. While dictionaries don’t change that much, they do change, so there’s a real possiblity that over time I’ll get left behind. I guess I’ll deal with that if and when it occurs.
The Stickler
The Stickler for this week is now available. Please select your preferred solving format.
![]() |
![]() |
The solution to this puzzle will appear next week.
| Clue Hints for The Stickler Weekly 222 | |
| Overseas Help for The Stickler Weekly 222 | |
| Solution to The Stickler Weekly 221 | |
| Insights for this week | |
| Invest in the Future of The Stickler |
Please include comments or discussion about this crossword below.
Request help in the Clue Hints blog entry so all can see.
It’s a weekly crossword, so please don’t give/discuss any full answers until the solution is posted (such posts will be deleted/edited).
Enjoy!
(click on the clue number to see the hint)
Click on underlined text for explanation of terms.
Need more hints for these or other clues? Just leave a reply below.
Examples: changed, at sea, confused, all over the place - anything that indicates change or jumbling.
Examples: upset, reversed, retired, in withdrawal, over etc.
Welcome all cryptic crossword solvers.
Some cryptic crosswords are tough purely because local lingo is used and not understood by all, especially those living outside of Australia. This post seeks to fill this vernacular gap.
There aren’t any extra hints needed this week.
Like to add something I’ve missed to help others, or comment on a meaning, term or expression? Please leave a reply below.

| Across | Answers and Clues | Explanations |
| 1 | BRAISE | |
| Sprig of basil to enhance stew? (6) | (B)ASIL + RAISE | |
| 4 | PING-PONG | |
| Pressure in fast event on gamer’s first game (4-4) | P + IN + GP + ON + (G)AMER | |
| 9 | SLIVERS | |
| Small pieces of offal, thin slices (7) | S + LIVERS | |
| 11 | PANICKY | |
| Frightened one in particular (7) | AN inside PICKY | |
| 12 | REICH | |
| Energy generated in productive German state (5) | E inside RICH | |
| 13 | ABACUSES | |
| A defender, cut down, consumes tablets (8) | A + (BAC)K + USES | |
| 14 | DISCREDITS | |
| Recording engineer ultimately makes changes to slurs (10) | DISC + ENGINEE(R) + EDITS | |
| 16 | AT IT | |
| A small flyer is keeping busy (2,2) | A + TIT | |
| 19 | STOP | |
| Series of tests to perform check (4) | testS TO Perform | |
| 20 | BLOCK PLANE | |
| Secure map in empty bottle with carpenter’s tool? (5,5) | (LOCK + PLAN) inside B(ottl)E | |
| 22 | ATOM BOMB | |
| Explosive gathering retreated inside a mausoleum (4,4) | MOB reversed inside (A + TOMB) | |
| 23 | TOPIC | |
| Detective in hospital bed recalled question (5) | PI inside (COT reversed) | |
| 26 | LOOPING | |
| Head of old nail, hammered into a piece of wood, is turning around (7) | [(O)LD + PIN] inside LOG | |
| 27 | EPISTLE | |
| Letter “R” missing from anagram of reptiles (7) | Anagram of REPTILES minus R | |
| 28 | MINISTRY | |
| Country runners try following cars (8) | TRY after MINIS | |
| 29 | FELONY | |
| Downgraded charge only affected serious crime? (6) | (FE)E + anagram of ONLY | |
| Down | Answers and Clues | Explanations |
| 1 | BESTRIDES | |
| Gets on leading fairground entertainment (9) | BEST + RIDES | |
| 2 | ALIBI | |
| A politician, I suspect, doesn’t have one (5) | A + LIB + I | |
| 3 | SHEPHERD | |
| Lock-up containing pusher giving up US marshal (8) | SHED outside (PUSHER minus US) | |
| 5 | IMPRACTICABLE | |
| Useless right in effect, one on line (13) | (R inside IMPACT) + I + CABLE | |
| 6 | GENIUS | |
| Mastermind, one acknowledged in class (6) | I inside GENUS | |
| 7 | ORCHESTRA | |
| The Corrs, a rocky music group (9) | Anagram of THE CORRS A | |
| 8 | GUYS | |
| Makes fun of people generally (4) | Double Definition | |
| 10 | SCANDALMONGER | |
| Investigate doddery old German, one spreading dirt (13) | SCAN + anagram of OLD GERMAN | |
| 15 | SHOUT DOWN | |
| “Silence! Silence! Get the better of gutless warden”? (5,4) | SH + OUTDO + W(arde)N | |
| 17 | TREACHERY | |
| Disloyalty in connection with pain suffered in struggle (9) | (RE + ACHE) in TRY | |
| 18 | SPITFIRE | |
| Fury and ill-feeling about source of deal, perhaps (8) | SPITE outside FIR | |
| 21 | EMAILS | |
| Correspondence implicated ladies’ man with missing DNA (6) | Anagram of LADIES MAN minus DNA | |
| 24 | POTTO | |
| Clothing passed up to a slow African climber (5) | TOP reversed + TO | |
| 25 | SLUM | |
| Depressed area’s never-ending depression? (4) | (SLUM)P |